Some teachers and administrators said transfers made no sense and felt punitive against those who had raised concerns over work conditions during the pandemic. Thus, our focus remains on providing our children with a learning environment that supports their academic, social, and emotional growth," Nabil said in a statement. The most highly paid employee in the Hamtramck Public Schools district has been collecting a paycheck for about four months while staying home and claiming a COVID-19 leave of absence. He says divisions over the districts return to school policies heightened problems that already existed. Hamtramck Public Schools posted a letter from Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, in which she explained that the leave is for her own personal well-being during the pandemic. The suit alleges the board members made false statements like saying that Ahmed was collecting her salary even though she refused to work and that there was no legitimate reason for her medical leave of absence. Nabil Nagi Interim Superintendent. Budget/Transparency Reporting and Title IX, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department. Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). 2K followers . 1/ Day for Students & Staff (HOZ - Final Exams), No School for Students & Staff, Spring Break, HAMTRAMCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS3201 Roosevelt StreetHamtramck, MI 48212SUPERINTENDENTJaleelah AhmedPhone: 313.591.7400Fax: 313.284.6094Office Hours: 8:00am - 4:00pm. News, analysis and scores on Detroit and Michigan sports teams. Michigan Capitol Confidential is a nonprofit news service published by the Mackinac Center and funded entirely through voluntary support. Aiyash, who was not re-elected among fellow board members as president of the board, has not attended a board meeting since January, the Review said. Decided December 22, 1986. Menhem Aouad Director of Student Services. She pointed to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as the reason she needs to focus on her physical and mental health right now. The mass exodus has been connected with her time as superintendent in local conversations and in local media over the months of her unexplained absence, during which teachers themselves spoke out during public meetings. But there were some who spoke favorably of Ahmed. "At Hamtramck Public Schools, we are committed to providing high-quality education services that our families deserve. As of Feb. 28, the school districts website did not recognize Ahmed in any role. HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - After the sudden absence of Superintendent Ahmed, the temporary replacement Nabil Nagi will take full control of the responsibilities of the Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent. Your email address will not be published. She told the school board that she will be on leave until Jan. 10. The decision, to temporarily step aside, was not entered into lightly. Budget/Transparency Reporting and Title IX, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department. We wish Ms. Ahmed the best during her leave of absence. David Melkus for the plaintiff. "We believe it is important to continue to respond to the changing pandemic, and to always put the safety of our school community first," Hamtramck Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed said in a. Hamtramck Public Schools Jul 2019 - Present 3 years 8 months. She declined further comment. Annotate this Case 426 Mich. 678 (1986) 397 N.W.2d 770 TOMIAK v. HAMTRAMCK SCHOOL DISTRICT Docket Nos. Plunkett Cooney, a Detroit law firm, defends Ms. Ahmed and the district. HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - Hamtramck Public Schools is now leaving the crossroads of a few changes - labor talks between administration and the teacher's collective bargaining unit are continuing, COVID-19 restrictions are relaxing, federal grant dollars are being allocated, and then some. Coral, who is a teacher, says policies that made teachers feel unwelcome exacerbated the teacher shortage and crisis that the district is facing. This year, Niczay was rehired by the district as a consultant, performing some of Ahmeds prior duties. March 3rd, 3pm-4:30pm, Hamtramck High School Auditorium Free food and drinks! That lawsuit has been pending for about one year and Ms. Adamczyk is represented by Gary Miotke as her attorney if that name sounds familiar it is because he represented former HPD officer Dennis Whitty in two employment suits against the City of Hamtramck which settled for several hundred thousand dollars. Im looking forward to working with [the acting superintendents] on some of the initiatives that had stalled over the last couple of weeks I hope those initiatives can begin to get us out of this crisis, Coral says. According to a letter the district sent to Ahmed on Oct. 14, 2021, she was also barred from taking any actions as a school official. Local. This was covered in several local media outlets, with a remarkable number of teachers leaving in a short period, and the fact that it reflected national trends of teachers finding better work environments. Audit Reports 2017-2018. . max-width: none !important; Your email address will not be published. Sherry Lynem, the district's chief financial officer, and Nabil Nagi, the director of English Language Development, will share responsibilities as acting superintendents. Superintendent at Hamtramck Public Schools . Superintendent of Hamtramck Public Schools discusses challenges for upcoming school year Dr. Jaleelah Ahmed, superintendent of Hamtramck Public Schools and a member of the K-12 Alliance, said schools have tough decisions to make without direct orders from the state or county hea.. View article WXYZ Detroit She received the highest possible performance rating from evaluations since she became superintendent in 2019, something the lawsuit points out. Did anyone press those teachers for more details? Councilmembers and the mayor want a raise. She was expected to return in January, but did not, with no explanation from the district. Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up March 15, 2023 1p-3p, Notice of Cancellation of COW Meeting 12-20-2022. Her announcement was made public on the HPS Facebook page on Tuesday. Ahmed, like so many other school superintendents, has had added responsibilities and burdens while overseeing the district during the COVID-19 pandemic. from . Sascha Raiyn is Education Reporter at 101.9 WDET. Your email address will not be published. Enroll Today Meals & Nutrition Transportation Home Our District Superintendent Home Meet the Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed Superintendent of Schools Phone: 313.591.7413 Fax: 313.432.8409 "We attempted unsuccessfully to pass a bond in 1997. The district will continue to address and support emotional well-being and mental health for those in our entire school community as that has been an element of critical focus. Please consider a gift today to help shine a light on government through independent journalism. Your email address will not be published. It also says that the board members and teachers union falsely instructed teachers that it was necessary for them not to contact Ahmed during her leave. Hamtramck Public Schools haven't had a permanent leader since mid-October, when Superintendent Jaleelah Hassan Ahmed announced "a temporary leave of absence to address my own personal. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. We strive to follow best practices based on federal requirements outlined in Section 508the "Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards," authorized by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Boardas well as recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Accessibility is a core component of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and it is referenced throughout the UDL Guidelines. Nabil Nagi, who is the interim Superintendent for Hamtramck Public Schools released a statement on Friday, November 4th addressing this matter. The alleged conspiracy andthe stress suffered during the COVID-19 pandemiccaused Ahmed to experience severe emotional distress, the suit alleges, and forced her to take a three-monthmedical leave that beganOct. 10. The Hamtramck Review said this week that trouble began with several job transfers of teachers, some involuntary, which resulted in backlash from some board members about former Human Resources Director Michelle Imbrunone, who was hired by Ahmed. An email apparently circulated among Hamtramck Public Schools employees ordered them to not contact Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, who is now on a leave of absence. She was hired to do a job. Unlimited access to subscriber only articles on desktop, tablet and mobile web. Ahmed is asking a judge to issue an injunction prohibitingtermination of her employment, back payand damages for mental anguish and emotional distress. Earlier this year, dozens of Hamtramck teachers protested outside the districts administrative building during contract negotiations, detailing strained conditions at the school during Ahmeds tenure. HPS does not control the content or relevancy of these pages. Ahmeds evaluations for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years were highly effective, the highest possible rating, the suitalleges. This content is only available to subscribers. Simon Albaugh covers Hamtramck for the Yemeni American News. A clue has emerged as to why Hamtramck Public Schools District Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed remains on leave. What was better before that has gone worse in last couple of years? You could win a $20 gift card in the raffle! Section 5: Miscellaneous. Ahmed and the district also face litigation from a former middle school vice principal. HPS teachers held week-long protest over superintendents return, Once again, the city has to face financial issues. An email apparently circulated among Hamtramck Public Schools employees ordered them to not contact Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, who is now on a leave of absence. HPS is committed to ensuring that our educational materials and websites are accessible, equitable, and usable to everyone. Copyright 2022 by WDET and Wayne State University. If you encounter a problem accessing materials, information, or technologies at MCAS or would like to provide feedback, contact: hmezzadri@hamtramckpublicschools.org. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); News, views and interviews from the Arab world and the Arab American community document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright The Arab American News. Ahmed notified district officials on Oct. 11, 2021, that she would stop performing her duties as superintendent until Jan. 10, 2022. Join us for an Open Forum! Something must not be going right. Also on the boards agenda were the hirings of nine new teachers and staff employees, including one for the filling of the high schools vacant principal position. Felix Chow is a Superintendent at Hamtramck Public Schools based in Hamtramck, Michigan. Why is it that nothing was reported about the teachers resigning until now? width: auto !important; 75897, 75901, (Calendar No. Ahmed has been on the job since 2019, and recently received a contract extension. These transfers were made to improve the educational opportunities of Hamtramck Schools students, Lusk said, but triggered demands from school board members and the union forAhmed to firethe district's Human Resources director,MichelleImbrunone. Obaid credited Niczay for steering the schools to a financially healthy position after the district was in deficit. going backwards from our best years In what way? This statement doesnt say much. Required fields are marked *. 2). Nabil Nagi, interim superintendent, said the district wasunable to provide information or comment on legal matters. Ahmed announced her leave of absence last week on the district's Facebook page. A. ) They felt that some involuntary transfers that administration had implemented were retaliatory people who had spoken up about some things suddenly found themselves moved, Coral says. 1K followers 500+ connections. Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). All rights reserved. Print Edition HPS is committed to ensuring that our educational materials and websites are accessible, equitable, and usable to everyone. Ahmed announced her leave of absence last week on the districts Facebook page. Bridge Academy West West (6-8th) 3105 Carpenter Ave. Ahmed's gross pay was $176,750 in 2020-21; she was appointed superintendent in July 2019. Hamtramck Public Schools Administration; Hamtramck Public Schools Administration. Hamtramck School Board Trustee, Moortadha Obaid, said it was "really sad" that Niczay is leaving the job, he lauded the superintendent as a "great guy". Hamtramck Public Schools will be led by two administrators while its superintendent is on a temporary leave of absence. Ahmed has been superintendent since 2019. It was disappointing to read the names (some familiar) of so many young teachers who left HPS recently. News, views and interviews from the Arab world and the Arab American community. That job included improving English language proficiency and academic performance. It is unclear if this suit relates in any way to the alleged investigation cited in the article. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Donate | Contact Us, Michigan senator rakes in donations from energy companies, blasts them on Twitter, On House Bill 4001, Michigan Senate Republicans deny immediate effect, preserve tax cut, Why a Michigan paraprofessional left his union, Feds give Michigan $110M to install 127 EV chargers. Board members like Major supported Ahmeds efforts in 2020 to promote a millage to construct a new elementary school, a proposal later defeated by voters. There is little doubt the school district suffers from a bit of turmoil at this time with all the staff turnover. The board has not said whether Imbrunone remains on leave, or is still with the district. In 2016, Ahmed was hired to serve as the district'sEnglish language development director. Nabil Nagi, the districts English Language Director, and Sherry Lynem, the districts Chief Financial Officer, were appointed to share the duties of superintendent. Ahmeds gross pay was $176,750 in 2020-21; she was appointed superintendent in July 2019. Section 4: Benefits and Salary of Superintendent and employees greater than $100,000. The new lawsuit does provide a more detailed picture of the conflict between Ahmed and the school board, something that has been shrouded in mystery since late last year.